AtomicEmperor

Bloody Days: The Adjudicator Saga

Act One: A Tenuous Order

November eleventh, nineteen-eighteen: The day the world's innocence died. One-hundred and five years ago, mankind chose a different path and traded their morality away at wholesale prices. The corporatizing and legitimization of criminal enterprise gave way to a bustling capitalistic world that we observers would recognize only as a bizarre parody of our own. Governments operate at the whim of the Underworld, governors and senators openly side in internecine warfare on behalf of the true governing bodies of the world. The Grand Syndicates of the world sit perched upon towers built of greed and corpses and openly flaunt their wealth and power in their capitals for those privileged or deranged enough to see.
In the old days, ideals were something a person could strive for still; and in that last shred of innocent hope an organization was born that would be responsible for delicately policing the New World Order. Outer Element: A clandestine institution made up of members from all walks of life and all corners of the globe dedicated to one last shining ideal. In the name of "Fair Play", Outer Element's various branches handle conflict between the Grand Syndicates and their Franchises as a necessity to ensure that money continues to flow into all the right places.

This is the story of two agents in this Machiavellian world, and the lengths they must go through to defend the tenuous order of their day and age. Welcome to the Bloody Days.

Markus itched at the bridge of his nose, still feeling the sting of the cut from when that moron busted his nose open. He felt around on the broken knuckles beneath his glove, and after a moment of wincing in pain trying to find any hope that they weren't broken, he tilted his head back and took a deep breath. Why anyone would pick a fight with him in a convenience store of all places, he didn't know. Maybe it was the rushing around, or maybe the guy had some sort of chip on his shoulder, but the fifty dollar offer to cut him in line didn't parse out the way Markus had hoped. He had to throw some weight in there. They weren't allowed to flash badges so close to the target, but some phony credentials should've done just fine.
He wasn't sure why he expected anything else. Civvies this far north almost never had anything to lose, and they figured the same about anyone else around. Fair. It was a fair fight, and at this point in his life that mattered a lot more to Markus than the busted nose or broken knuckles. Whoever he was, the yokel was a bruiser for sure. It made him think about his time in the service and the strange things they'd do for entertainment. Not even the Pits or Fun Runs, just the dumb things like getting drunk and punching one another until you couldn't anymore. No bets, no cash, just pure boredom in a parking lot full of oil tankers. His mind wandered, imagining if they did that sort of stuff around here; just a bottle of shine and a dirt ground campsite with a stone ringed fire, sounded like the perfect environment for a punch up to him.

Markus wrapped the slightly broken hand up into his rifle's sling, cinching it tight and wincing again as he felt everything align in a way that he could at least get purchase on the foregrip. He preferred .308, and didn't want the unruly machine hopping too high up to the point where he lost his grip. Hot steam rose up from his mouthless balaclava covered face, the cold October morning air hovering just above freezing. He could feel his heart slowing back down as he adjusted to the pain, the warm blood circulating slower and slower until it stabilized, and he couldn't wait for the adrenaline of work to overpower what he was currently feeling.
He always wondered if he'd be able to change a magazine in situations like this, but once you were dodging bullets, it was secondary. The only trouble was the lull, but he hoped the half an oxy he slammed down his gullet a few minutes ago would be kicking in soon just to make it all a bit more bearable. Until then, it was constant awareness of discomfort. But he wasn't a loud bellyacher. In his world, you were a man if you sucked everything bothering you up into a little black hole.
"It's your devil to dance with!"
He could still hear his Father's voice in his head. Old fuck...

It was a short hike up into the woods of upstate New York, maybe twenty minutes from a rest stop on the side of Interstate 87, when the trees had finally given up the secret of lights and sound in the distance. The complex was, by the schematics they'd been given, a set of three tack-up warehouses surrounded by a triple high, barb wired fence. Looking up at it, he laughed at the audacity of keeping a fence so fucking tall. What was the point? The squirrels still got in, you'd deter a bear with the single height, and if it wasn't electrified, then the pair of baby bolt cutters strapped to his pack would make a short order door. Was it just to say he had a big fence?
"I don't get it..." Markus whispered, back pressed against a tree.
The humor in his voice was audible, even through the whisper.
"Its like a cock measuring contest with these clowns. Everyone's got a fucking thirty foot fence these days, like it helps."
His eyes continued to pass along the upper sections of the fencing for small black orbs; the security camera system that may or may not have had thermal capabilities. The briefing hadn't been a hundred percent clear, but nothing in the OE was crystal clear so that wasn't new. Besides, nobody was worse informed than the Landguard. They just had all the guns, so running into things blindly was easy. That was a big difference he'd had to get used to when he signed on for OE, as the usage of intel was generally almost non-existent. You showed up, you reacted, and if you were lucky you could bounce out at the end of the day.

"What do you think, partner? You seeing any cameras?" Markus asked, finally looking toward his new partner crouched behind a neighboring tree.
In the early dawn light, they were working on very limited vision as the trees blocked out the sunlight that slowly crept up the horizon. He hadn't thought to bring a helmet or any sort of assisted vision goggles, figuring the walk was going to take them long enough that the sun would be out. It was a bit embarrassing to be in such a state on the first job, but he figured he'd play it off as best he could.

Disparate Ideas for Expansion

@Double @Letter Bee I'll be putting up a more fleshed out feeler for Wicked Wings into the Casual Interest Check sometime soon!

Tyrant Shell: The Answer of Rain (An Armored Core Inspired Mechapunk)

I would love to test the waters and see how things go, as I have more or less been consumed by Armored Core over the last few weeks. Would anyone interested just join the Discord link posted? Or will we be waiting for a separate post?

Disparate Ideas for Expansion

<Snipped quote by AtomicEmperor>

Thanks; note that I don't like 1x1 RPs much, though, and prefer Group RPs.

@Letter Bee

Sounds great to me, then Wicked Wings may be the best idea. We will wait to see if there are others interested!

Disparate Ideas for Expansion

@Letter Bee That's great to hear. I'd love to talk about what sort of variation you'd like to see and how much of the groundwork you'd like to set between us. I'm more than happy to sort of put out whatever ideas I initially had for the settings, or go back into them completely blind with just the base context in mind. I'll put a new, more detailed post depending on what I see people more interested in overall.

Disparate Ideas for Expansion

Good Morning!

Hello individuals of all variety! I hope you're doing well and are ready to read through some different situations and scenarios I'm looking to get into.

To get logistics and similar things out of the way: My availability could be anytime among the 24 hour clock. I can't predict it, and you'll probably not be able to either. With all ideas, the main thing I'd like to do is pre-plan and get ourselves situated in a strong creative position so that we're satisfied with the direction we'll be going in. Through that process, I hope to get to know you a bit more so we can both come to a better collaborative understanding with one another.
I've tagged this with the Anime/Manga genre tag to make the kind of aesthetic I'm going for clear: Unless stated otherwise, we're reaching for anime levels of high power. Equally threatening end goals hopefully balance this sort of ideal out, but I'd very much love to sit and work out what we both want out of our time together.
Similarly, this has been tagged as 1x1 AND small group. I'll specify if I feel an idea only fits into one or the other, but like anything I'm sure I can be convinced to change my mind. (It doesn't take much.)

That being said, all ideas presented are subject to change based on our whims. If you like the base idea and want to run with it, that's totally fine and I do have plenty of ideas to GM with. But, I would love for us to participate equally or at least have a strong back and forth about the decisions we're making in regard to the story we're going for.

With that out of the way, on to what you may actually care about:

Happenings in Holybath

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We'll start with the least anime/power fantasy ideal that is probably most suited for group enjoyment. You've probably read this prompt before, so I'll keep it brief.
Small Town North-Western USA: A local resort town plays home to a secret that the locals are keen on keeping isolated from the larger world. Are you one of the Keepers who attempt to maintain the status quo as it has been for years? Or are you a curious stranger who has reasons to blow the whistle on the entire town?

This is a cult investigation roleplay that I actually do have a lot set up for. Plenty of characters and a town already fleshed out for you to explore and investigate, or to politic and thrive among. Group play is welcomed, and you don't really need to come equipped with a lot of ideas. Just bring your curiosity and be willing to work with others should you desire a more group-play atmosphere.

Wicked Wings

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This is half of an old idea and half of my current obsession with Armored Core and Mech Warrior coming together for a strong desire to write magical mecha. The premise would ideally follow along the idea of a militaristic coven of Witches and Warlocks dedicated to a God of Machines. This is purely meant to be a fun action/SoL roleplay where we have room to either travel the galaxy's conflicts and amass wealth for the coven or get wrapped up in something bigger and more important than intended.
I have a lot of ideas for this too since it's been tumbling around actively in my skull for a month or more. It doesn't have to be Mecha either; I think it'd be fun to follow any of the coven's different functioning branches from boots on the ground to commanding officers on the ships.

Little Gods in the Vastness

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I like the idea of the Universe being so big that "God" can't possibly cover all of its own creation. This would hopefully be a spin on the classic hero's journey; a fragment of God slowly but surely returning to the place it came from. Coming across all manner of threat and trouble, helping or hurting based on its own belief and desire until eventually meeting its maker in a very literal way. I've got no real lore for this that isn't part of my own personal canon, but I figured it would be a good shell to advertise for since it is a fun idea.

This would be what I consider as 1x1 only, as if you're interested in this I'd like for it to feel like the world centers around you: In a way it does. The divine energy of a fragment means its difficult for a secondary character to ever shine without having that exact same light, but we can't have anyone outshining you.

Bloody Days

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Last but not least, I love action movies and modern assassin flicks where the main characters cleave bloody swathes through dozens and dozens of henchmen, whatever formula usually ending in a climactic and personal combat sequence between the protag and antag until the hero comes out on top. But, why does the main character always have some sort of superior moral ground? Do you have to have some sort of greater morality to connect with a character who otherwise would be like any other murderer?

I'll leave it up to you to decide that. All I really want out of this is cool action and a fun setting. Whether we stick to something like John Wick with a more modernist aesthetic or move into Equilibrium or Aeon Flux territory in a gritty cyberpunk style future is totally up in the air for us to figure out in collaboration.

I hope that one of these caught your eye. I'm willing to provide a writing sample to all who are interested so that you can confirm my proficiency; just ask for it. Otherwise, again I hope you're having a wonderful time and are feeling well. I hope to hear from interested parties soon.

Hello Hi Hey

Thank you very much. Not sure if I want to put an interest article out or look around to see if there's anything I'm more interested in.

Hello Hi Hey

Have you ever sat and thought about what motivation and desire really mean?
Hey. You can call me anything you'd like, but I respond to Fen, Ego or Atom best. Writing has been a life long hobby, and motivation has been a life long struggle. I've been roleplaying in the expected fashion for over a decade now between PbP TTRPGs and casual roleplays. But over the last couple of years I've taken some impacts that have really knocked the wind out of my sails, and I've had a hard time finding a partner whom I've really jived with.

That said, I'm looking for new people to try things out with. If there was one thing I'd like to be very clear, it's this: All forays are experimental in nature, never guaranteed to stick or take off. But I will always be honest and communicative with you. It's not in my nature to leave someone in the dark, as I know what it feels like to have a connection ripped out of your heart without warning.
But I need your help too. Whoever you are who may be reading this for one reason or another. I need you to love what we're making together. I need you to push when I push so that our ideas blend together instead of just sitting in layers on top of one another.

So if you want a fine worldbuilding smoothie instead of slush and juice, I'm your man. If you don't mind poking an occasionally lazy person to make sure a post gets out every day, I'm also unfortunately your man. But, I promise you, if we're both engaged and loving what we're making together, you'll never need to poke me. I want to write; I just don't want to write alone.

Not that I don't, I have a pet project. And if someone was really interested, I'd be happy to gush about my baby for as long as they're willing to listen. But even then, the main goal is sharing that with you, not actually making anything substantial outside of a book full of "what if" notes. I'm probably looking for someone real special to actually get into that with.
So what am I interested in then? Mostly I'm a Sci-fi kind of person. Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Liu Cixin, Harlan Ellison, H.P. Lovecraft; I guess that's probably the standard list for most edgy fellas who fancy themselves as broody moody dudes. But I'm tainted.

I grew up in a household that got together to watch the new Dragon Ball Z episode air every week. I have vivid memories of watching my mother playing Devil May Cry and my father painting Gunpla into the wee hours of the morning. One of my favorite pieces of media to exist on this planet is Hellsing.
I'm in love with the power fantasy. I want to write things that tell grand stories about the universe on massive scales. Individuals who can move stars and systems, massive armies clashing over spans of distance that you couldn't travel in a hundred lifetimes. Mortals earning their place among a pantheon so far removed from the true power of Godhood that a life's entire effort is revealed as only a small stepping stone on the path toward ultimate strength.
To me, this kind of stuff is best. It's fun and occasionally difficult to roleplay.

I want to make sure we're both clear about the fact that I'm not looking for a contest or some sort of arena roleplay. I'm very much the "Lets talk about what will happen in this combat scene and what the outcome will be before we write it" kind of person. Its not an ego trip. I want us to both get the satisfaction of what I'm talking about. Victory and defeat for our characters as necessary to the overall narrative we're trying to go for.

This may be running long (I'm not sure.) so I'll wrap up with some logistics. I'm in EST/EDT, but also work overnights. Ergo, I'm a vampire and occasional daywalker. My sleep schedule is probably screwed up, so realistically you can expect me around at any random time.
As I said earlier, I'm into Power Fantasy; that applies not only to Sci-fi as a generality, but also modern settings involving superhumans, supernatural elements, or if you're into it even boots on ground firearm combat settings (John Wick, The Raid, The Equalizer).

I hope to get comfy and find some people I can share my desire for fun with. See you then!